The game of basketball has been played since it was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891. Generally, an inflated ball having a rough or tacky outer covering is dribbled and passed between teammates who attempt to shoot the ball through a ring, or basket, and obtain points. The team with the most points at the end of a set period of time is declared the winner.
Handling a basketball, whether by dribbling the basketball (bouncing the ball off the ground to allow a player to move with the ball), passing the ball through the air to another teammate, or shooting the ball in an attempt to score points by depositing the ball through the basket, requires very specific techniques.
With respect to dribbling a basketball, the best technique for maintaining control of the basketball is to use, primarily, the fingertips and not the palm of a player's hand. However, it can be very difficult to develop the muscles in a person's hand and arm that allow the player to utilize, primarily, the fingertips. Moreover, while it is generally beneficial for a player to utilize the fingertips while dribbling, a player also will want to ensure that the proper strength is applied to the ball, as well. Therefore, a player must also develop the proper muscles to utilize the fingertips and to be able to have sufficient strength to forcefully and repeatedly bounce the ball off the floor. Proper handling technique in dribbling not only requires the ability to push a ball away from a hand toward the floor during dribbling, but to also receive the ball back by the hand, specifically, the fingertips, by cradling the ball. In addition, the player may enhance ball handling during a dribble by adding spin to the ball as it flies through the air and bounces off the ground. Proper dribbling techniques further involve subtle hand and finger movements to provide sufficient power and control.
Moreover, passing the basketball also involves techniques to ensure that the basketball travels to its intended destination. Therefore, it is important for a player to ensure that the ball carries through the air with sufficient power and placement. In addition, to maneuver around players from opposing teams and to enhance the ability of a player to satisfactorily receive a basketball, subtle ball movement, including spin and arc is typically desired. Of course, this requires proper technique as well, requiring specific muscle training. It is generally known that to have proper passing technique requires a basketball player to, again, pass the ball utilizing the fingertips of the player's hand. However, strength and subtle ball movement may be imparted using the muscles of the fingers, hands and arms of the player.
Shooting the ball accurately in order to score points by depositing the ball through a basket also requires proper technique. A player will want to ensure that the basketball flies toward and through the basket with sufficient power and accuracy. As with dribbling and passing, the best technique is to utilize the fingertips, as the fingertips provide the most accuracy. In addition, a player must have sufficient strength to ensure that the basketball flies to its intended target accurately. Subtle movement of fingers, hands and arms can influence the trajectory of a ball. For example, certain types of shots require an amount of spin, to aid in the balls flight path.
Whether a basketball player is dribbling, passing and/or shooting, the basketball player must have sufficiently trained so that the ball moves consistently throughout a basketball game. This may require repeated touches on the ball. Each skill, whether dribbling, passing and/or shooting, occur many times for each player during a basketball game. Therefore, repeated drills utilizing a basketball to strengthen muscles and impart muscle memory is a keystone of proper basketball training techniques so that a player can consistently and properly handle a basketball, even when fatigued.
As with any training technique, basketball players benefit from resistance training. Generally, resistance training causes muscles to contract against an external resistance with the expectation of increases in strength, tone, mass and endurance. However, it is generally difficult to provide resistance training for basketball handling skills, as resistance training typically requires bulky weights, bands and other like equipment that may generally interfere with a basketball player's ability to handle a basketball at the same time. Generally, resistance training has, heretofore, focused purely on weightlifting to increase the strength of muscle groups. However, weight training fails to enhance the muscle memory required to promote the training of the fine motor skills required to effectively handle a basketball when dribbling, passing and/or shooting.
For example, it is generally known that to handle a basketball requires training of particular muscles and muscle groups. While a basketball player generally wants to train all major muscle groups, some muscles are more important for dribbling, passing and/or shooting. Specifically, the biceps and triceps may be important, as well as the deltoid, brachioradialis, brochialis, extensors and flexors in the arm. Muscles in the hand and fingers may also play a large role in helping a basketball player effectively handle a basketball in dribbling, passing and/or shooting, providing stability of the arm, hand and fingers. Specifically, hand and finger muscles important in handling a basketball may include the lubricals and interossei, as well as the opponens, abductors and adductors. It is important to train each of these muscles to provide strength and stability. Proper handling technique generally enhances a basketball player's ability to hold their hand and fingers in a proper position for repeated movement to enhance strength and control of a basketball.
A need, therefore, exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same for strengthening muscles required for proper basketball handling skills, whether dribbling, passing and/or shooting a basketball. Specifically, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same for strengthening the exact arm, hand and finger muscles required to enhance a basketball player's ability to dribble, pass and/or shoot.
Moreover, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that may be worn by a basketball player during training and/or during game conditions to provide the strengthening required. A need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same for aiding a basketball player in strengthening the proper muscles that does not interfere with the basketball player's ability to interact with the basketball.
Further, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same whereby a plurality of components may be utilized to train and strengthen various parts of the basketball player's arms, hands and fingers while handling the basketball. Still further, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that utilize a combination of tension bands, weights and one or more interference mechanisms to force a basketball player to utilize proper dribbling, passing and/or shooting techniques.
And, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that provide resistance training for the muscles necessary to enhance a basketball player's ability to handle a basketball. A need further exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that provide improvements in a plurality of basketball handling techniques while dribbling a basketball when the apparatus is removed, such as ball handling, loss ball recovery control, ball speed and quickness with regular or low dribbling.
Moreover, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that provide improvements in a plurality of basketball handling techniques while passing a basketball when the apparatus is removed, such as passing with more power, speed and accuracy. Additionally, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that provide improvements in a plurality of basketball handling techniques for shooting a basketball when the apparatus is removed, such as improving shooting range and accuracy, releasing the ball quicker, and keeping the dominant shooting arm warm with increased blood flow.
Finally, a need exists for an apparatus and methods of using the same that provide improvement, generally, in hand-eye coordination, and aids in helping injuries heal faster.